A mums' army has launched a petition to save a training centre on a Bradford estate from closure.

Beacon Enterprise Centre in Buttershaw was set up 20 years ago to provide activities and training for the unemployed. But now the 250 students, many of them mums with young children, are battling to save the facility after it was refused a Council grant.

Last year the centre received a voluntary grant of £44,000, but that has already been eaten up with running costs, including wages for 15 staff.

The Council did make an offer of £15,000 after an impact assessment on the centre, but according to centre staff, this wouldn't even meet the monthly wages bill.

Geoff Draper, centre manager, said they could look to other funding such as National Lottery but he said this would take time and they were desperate for a lifeline to tied them over, otherwise the centre could close by the summer.

If this happens, the area will lose a facility which is helping students to learn computer and IT skills.

"It has always been important that people are coming in and doing something positive, and have the opportunity of transforming their own lives," said Mr Draper.

Sandra Yeadon, centre lecturer who also runs Bradford College courses there, said she was 'absolutely appalled' by the decision. She said: "This centre brings an awful lot of students in. Some of them are half way through their course and their qualifications will go up the spout and that's a crying shame because I know the people who are coming to the classes are coming with job prospects in mind."

One of those students is Kathy Wilkinson. The mother-of-three from Woodside started going to the centre two years ago. Now she hopes computer training will enable her to do a desk job.

"I am 34 years old and I didn't have a good education like they have now, but this is re-educating people who didn't get that chance," she said.

Lynn Gallagher, the centre's administrator, agreed. She's seen first-hand the benefits it can bring to students.

She said: "Before I came here 14 years ago I was a single parent at home on income support with two children. I left school at 15 so I didn't have any qualifications. I came here with nothing, now I've got 14 qualifications." A Bradford Council spokesman said: "As a result of changes in the commissioning system for voluntary sector grants, Beacon Enterprise were unsuccessful in their request for funding.

"However, the council has given the centre transitional funding of £15,000 so that people currently on courses can finish their training. We are continuing to work with Beacon and other organisations in the area to protect services and to try and minimise any further disruption to their clients."